US sinks an Ecuadorian ship in the Pacific it alleges is tied to drug trafficking

The U.S. Southern Command sank yet another Ecuadorian ship in the Pacific, alleging it was connected to the drug trafficking group Los Choneros. This action followed a string of recent operations against suspected drug trafficking boats in the region. The most recent targets included a floating refueling station, the sinking of which was captured in a video showing military personnel boarding the vessel, a helicopter overhead, and the projectile striking and sinking it.

The U.S. claimed to have removed the people on board and transferred them to Ecuadorian authorities. This marks the fifth Ecuadorian vessel targeted by U.S. forces in under two weeks. Earlier strikes included the fishing vessel María Candelaria, and two other boats named OM2 and Los Tres Hermanos, whose crews claim they were sunk.

Ecuadorian authorities have not yet commented on the latest incident. All of the vessels involved have reportedly been linked to Los Choneros, a group designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. Other Ecuadorian crews have been intercepted by U.S. forces this year, with some crew members still missing, such as in the case of the Fiorella where eight fishermen are still reported missing since January.

The U.S. has conducted numerous strikes in Latin America, with over 227 people killed in strikes since the campaign began over a year ago. Critics have questioned the legality and effectiveness of these operations. Recently, the U.S. has sought agreements with allied nations to extend its operations to land across multiple Latin American countries.